Illegal mining farm founders are detained in Argentina

A total of 70 raids were conducted, during which phones, cash, weapons, and office equipment were seized

22.10.2022 - 07:30

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2 min

What’s new? Argentina’s national tax authority (AFIP) exposed an undeclared cryptocurrency mining farm in a massive operation that led to the arrest of 40 people. The regulator conducted 70 raids in cooperation with local authorities. More than 100 cell phones and SIM cards, cash, cars, firearms, computers, and various office equipment such as memory cards, flash drives, and printers were seized, The Block reports.

Information on The Block’s website

What else is known about the investigation? The mining farm was set up in a shed in the municipality of Quilmes. The farm operated with stolen cables, and authorities were investigating the alleged theft of electricity. In September, the agency discovered three cryptocurrency mining sites that allegedly concealed their operations without properly declaring their activities. AFIP has specialized units that can detect undeclared crypto farms across the country based on high energy consumption. The agency added:

“Through these in-person verifications, agents verify the existence of the corresponding import documentation for equipment and the correct registration of both the mining activity and income received.”

In August, the chief information security specialist of the Altai Republican Hospital was detained for organizing a mining farm in a covid hospital.

In May, employees of the Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Security Service discovered a large illegal mining farm in Makhachkala. Law enforcers seized 1476 cryptocurrency mining devices during searches.

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